English
Arabic
Chinese (Simplified)
Dutch
Esperanto
French
German
Greek
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Portuguese
Russian
Spanish
UrduAmidst a titanic shift in U.S. climate policy that prioritizes clean energy jobs and reductions in carbon emissions, lies an effort to protect communities against very real and inevitable climate events — including hurricanes, droughts and floods — before they…
Tag: Environment
Fields of Breeders’ Dreams: A Team Effort Toward Targeted Crop Improvements
In Nature, a multi-institutional team including DOE Joint Genome Institute researchers has produced a high-quality reference sequence of the complex switchgrass genome. Building off this work, bioenergy researchers are exploring targeted genome editing techniques to customize the crop.
Important Climate Change Mystery Solved by Scientists
Scientists have resolved a key climate change mystery, showing that the annual global temperature today is the warmest of the past 10,000 years – contrary to recent research, according to a Rutgers-led study in the journal Nature. The long-standing mystery is called the “Holocene temperature conundrum,” with some skeptics contending that climate model predictions of future warming must be wrong. The scientists say their findings will challenge long-held views on the temperature history in the Holocene era, which began about 12,000 years ago.
Increasing ocean temperature threatens Greenland’s ice sheet
Irvine, Calif., Jan. 25, 2021 — Scientists at the University of California, Irvine and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory have for the first time quantified how warming coastal waters are impacting individual glaciers in Greenland’s fjords. Their work is the subject of a study published recently in Science Advances. Working under the auspices of the Oceans Melting Greenland mission for the past five years, the researchers used ships and aircraft to survey 226 glaciers in all sectors of one of Earth’s largest islands.
Nuclear War Could Trigger Big El Niño and Decrease Seafood
A nuclear war could trigger an unprecedented El Niño-like warming episode in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, slashing algal populations by 40 percent and likely lowering the fish catch, according to a Rutgers-led study. The research, published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment, shows that turning to the oceans for food if land-based farming fails after a nuclear war is unlikely to be a successful strategy – at least in the equatorial Pacific.
Urban agroforestry and its potential integration into city planning efforts
Healthy food production, erosion prevention among many benefits
Rutgers Legal Expert Available to Discuss Environmental, Climate Change Priorities
New Brunswick, N.J. (Jan. 21, 2021) – Rutgers University Professor Cymie R. Payne, an expert on United States and international environmental laws, is available for interviews on how the administration of President Biden can strengthen laws and regulations and efforts to…
Rutgers Experts Available to Discuss U.S. Rejoining Paris Climate Agreement
New Brunswick, N.J. (Jan. 20, 2021) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick professors Pamela McElwee and Robert E. Kopp are available for interviews on the announcement that President Biden’s administration will rejoin the Paris climate agreement. In 2017, President Trump announced that the United States would withdraw…
Are the west Texas rangelands barren?
Plants, animals, and microorganisms contribute to unique ecosystem
Greenland Melting Likely Increased by Bacteria in Sediment
Bacteria are likely triggering greater melting on the Greenland ice sheet, possibly increasing the island’s contribution to sea-level rise, according to Rutgers scientists. That’s because the microbes cause sunlight-absorbing sediment to clump together and accumulate in the meltwater streams, according to a Rutgers-led study – the first of its kind – in the journal Geophysical Research Letters. The findings can be incorporated in climate models, leading to more accurate predictions of melting, scientists say.
Rutgers Expert Available to Discuss Record Year for Bald Eagles in N.J.
New Brunswick, N.J. (Jan. 13, 2021) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick ecologist Michael C. Allen is available for interviews on the record year for bald eagles in New Jersey. “The resounding return of bald eagles in North America has been especially strong…
Framework sheds light on nitrogen loss of producing common food items
Differences in nitrogen loss intensity between livestock and crops confirm the need for change.
Rutgers Experts Available to Discuss Addressing Climate Change, Environmental Protection in 2021
New Brunswick, N.J. (Jan. 12, 2021) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick professors Robert E. Kopp and Pamela McElwee are available for interviews on how President-elect Joe Biden and his incoming administration could strengthen efforts to address climate change and protect the environment. Kopp, a professor in…
Big Differences in How Coral Reef Fish Larvae are Dispersed
How the larvae of colorful clownfish that live among coral reefs in the Philippines are dispersed varies widely, depending on the year and seasons – a Rutgers-led finding that could help scientists improve conservation of species. Right after most coral reef fish hatch, they join a swirling sea of plankton as tiny, transparent larvae. Then currents, winds and waves disperse them, frequently to different reefs.
EPA Attacks Science and Breaks Precedent in Final Data Transparency Rule
The American Thoracic Society opposes the EPA’s final rule on Data Transparency issued in the waning days of the Trump Administration. The final rule, which is the focus of a press conference today, is a continuation of the Trump Administration’s persistent attack on the science showing the adverse health effects of environmental pollution. This rule would exclude vital scientific data from future EPA decision-making and make patient confidential information more vulnerable to public disclosure.
How to Identify Heat-Stressed Corals
Researchers have found a novel way to identify heat-stressed corals, which could help scientists pinpoint the coral species that need protection from warming ocean waters linked to climate change, according to a Rutgers-led study.
NYS can achieve 2050 carbon goals. Here’s how.
By delving into scientific, technological, environmental and economic data, Cornell University engineering researchers examined whether New York could achieve a statewide carbon-free economy by 2050. Their finding: Yes, New York can reach this goal – and do it with five years to spare.
COVID-19 Pandemic had Big Impact on Commercial Fishing in Northeast
With restaurants and supply chains disrupted due to the global coronavirus pandemic, two-fifths of commercial fishermen surveyed from Maine through North Carolina did not go fishing earlier this year, according to a Rutgers study that also documented their resilience and adaptation. Of those who kept fishing, nearly all reported a decline in income compared with previous years, according to the survey of 258 fishers in the Northeast published in the journal PLOS ONE.
New Nature Lover? It’s a COVID-19 Side-Effect
What does it take to get some people to go outside and experience nature? For some urban dwellers, it took the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers say.
The new study finds that 26% of people visiting parks during early months of the COVID-19 pandemic had rarely – or never – visited nature in the previous year.
The study is one of the first to explore how COVID-19 has changed Americans’ relationship with nature.
The research will appear in PLOS ONE journal.
Planning Ahead Protects Fish and Fisheries
Conservation of fish and other marine life migrating from warming ocean waters will be more effective and also protect commercial fisheries if plans are made now to cope with climate change, according to a Rutgers-led study in the journal Science Advances.
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory receives two national environmental awards
The Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory received two national awards for its sustainability efforts, including a DOE Sustainability Award for instituting a water treatment method that is safer for wildlife and a gold EPEAT Award for purchasing 97 percent EPEAT-certified electronics.
Rutgers Expert Can Discuss November and 2020 Warmth, Top Snowfall Seasons in N.J.
New Brunswick, N.J. (Dec. 9, 2020) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick climatologist David A. Robinson is available for interviews on the extreme warmth in New Jersey in November and 2020 to date, as well as the 10 snowiest and 10 least snowy seasons since…
Tire-related chemical is largely responsible for adult coho salmon deaths in urban streams
A team led by researchers at the University of Washington Tacoma, UW and Washington State University Puyallup have discovered a chemical that kills coho salmon in urban streams before the fish can spawn.
Best Region For Life on Mars Was Far Below Surface
The most habitable region for life on Mars would have been up to several miles below its surface, likely due to subsurface melting of thick ice sheets fueled by geothermal heat, a Rutgers-led study concludes. The study, published in the journal Science Advances, may help resolve what’s known as the faint young sun paradox – a lingering key question in Mars science.
Keeping California a powerhouse of almond production
Research shows nitrogen efficiency and productivity not a tradeoff
Scientists map soils’ potential to combat climate change
Soils Revealed is an open-access, interactive platform that uses cutting-edge technology to model how soil organic carbon has fluctuated over the last 11,000 years and to project soil’s future carbon-storing capacity.
The Impact of Mercury in New York State
Biodiversity Research Institute announced that a series of scientific studies that assessed the impact of mercury on air, water, fish, and wildlife in New York State was published in the journal Ecotoxicology, an international journal devoted to presenting critical research on the effects of toxic chemicals on people and the environment.
Here’s What We’ve Learned About COVID-19
DHS S&T’s Master Question List is updated every week with the latest trustworthy COVID-19 information and data relevant to weathering the pandemic.
Gut Microbiome Manipulation Could Result from Virus Discovery
Scientists have discovered how a common virus in the human gut infects and takes over bacterial cells – a finding that could be used to control the composition of the gut microbiome, which is important for human health. The Rutgers co-authored research, which could aid efforts to engineer beneficial bacteria that produce medicines and fuels and clean up pollutants, is published in the journal Nature.
Atmospheric Rivers Help Create Massive Holes in Antarctic Sea Ice
Warm, moist rivers of air in Antarctica play a key role in creating massive holes in sea ice in the Weddell Sea and may influence ocean conditions around the vast continent as well as climate change, according to Rutgers co-authored research. Scientists studied the role of long, intense plumes of warm, moist air – known as atmospheric rivers – in creating enormous openings in sea ice. They focused on the Weddell Sea region of the Southern Ocean near Antarctica, where these sea ice holes (called polynyas) infrequently develop during the winter.
Rutgers Expert Available to Discuss Record November Heat in New Jersey
New Brunswick, N.J. (Nov. 10, 2020) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick climatologist David A. Robinson is available for interviews on the recent record heat in New Jersey, including four consecutive days of record high temperatures in New Brunswick. “Today marks the sixth consecutive day…
Engineer to model sunshine deflection for cooling planet
The SilverLining Safe Climate Research Initiative has awarded a $500,000 grant to a Cornell University engineering researcher, who will model the effects of introducing reflective aerosols into the stratosphere, which could deflect enough sunbeams to reduce Earth’s temperature and limit climate change impact.
Rutgers Expert Available to Discuss Stress Reduction Benefits of Exercise and Being Outdoors Following Election
New Brunswick, N.J. (Nov. 6, 2020) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick Professor Brandon L. Alderman is available for interviews on how being outdoors and exercise can reduce stress following the 2020 election and during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Time spent outdoors and…
NSF Grant Funds Research to Help Better Manage Water Resources
A collaborative research project with scientists from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF), and Syracuse University will identify options for more effectively managing water resources in semi-arid areas impacted by climate change. The project is funded with a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant for nearly $550,000.
Rutgers Expert Available to Discuss Record Snow Cover in October 2020
Media contact: Todd Bates, [email protected], 848-932-0550. New Brunswick, N.J. (Nov. 5, 2020) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick climatologist David A. Robinson is available for interviews on the record high snow cover over North America in October 2020. Robinson oversees the Rutgers…
Rutgers Experts Available to Discuss Paris Climate Agreement Following 2020 Election
New Brunswick, N.J. (Nov. 4, 2020) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick professors Robert E. Kopp and Pamela McElwee are available for interviews on the Paris climate agreement following the 2020 election. In 2017, President Trump announced that the United States will withdraw from the agreement, and…
How Did Red Algae Survive in Extreme Environments?
Red algae have persisted in hot springs and surrounding rocks for about 1 billion years. Now, a Rutgers-led team will investigate why these single-celled extremists have thrived in harsh environments – research that could benefit environmental cleanups and the production of biofuels and other products.
The rhythm of change: What a drum-beat experiment reveals about cultural evolution
Living organisms aren’t the only things that evolve over time. Cultural practices change, too, and in recent years social scientists have taken a keen interest in understanding this cultural evolution. A new experiment used drum-beats to investigate the role that environment plays on cultural shifts, confirming that different environments do indeed give rise to different cultural patterns.
Rutgers Experts Available to Discuss N.J.’s Vulnerability Eight Years after Sandy
New Brunswick, N.J. (Oct. 27, 2020) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick experts are available to discuss the busy 2020 Atlantic hurricane season and New Jersey’s vulnerability to coastal storms and flooding eight years after Superstorm Sandy, along with how to boost resilience.…
Rutgers Expert Available to Discuss Risk Perception in COVID-19 Era
New Brunswick, N.J. (Oct. 26, 2020) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick Professor William Hallman is available for interviews on the science of risk perception and its practical implications in the COVID-19 era – a time of fear and anxiety among millions of…
Rutgers Expert Available to Discuss Coronavirus Risk from Surfaces, Groceries, Food, Airborne Exposures
New Brunswick, N.J. (Oct. 26, 2020) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick Professor Donald W. Schaffner is available for interviews on the likelihood of getting infected by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus via surfaces, groceries, eating food and airborne/aerosol transmission. “Current evidence still indicates that risk from surfaces remains…
Rutgers Expert Available to Discuss Vietnam’s Vulnerability to Floods
New Brunswick, N.J. (Oct. 23, 2020) – Rutgers Professor Pamela McElwee, an expert on Vietnam environmental issues, is available for interviews on the devastating flooding in that country this month and the flood threat posed by Typhoon Saudel. McElwee, who has done research…
Tackling Alarming Decline in Nature Requires ‘Safety Net’ of Multiple, Ambitious Goals, Researchers Say
A “safety net” made up of multiple ambitious and interlinked goals is needed to tackle nature’s alarming decline, according to an international team of researchers analyzing the new goals for biodiversity being drafted by the UN’s Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
What cold lizards in Miami can tell us about climate change resilience
It was raining iguanas on a sunny morning. Biologist James Stroud’s phone started buzzing early on Jan. 22. A friend who was bicycling to work past the white sands and palm tree edges of Key Biscayne, an island town south of Miami, sent Stroud a picture of a 2-foot-long lizard splayed out on its back. With its feet in the air, the iguana took up most of the sidewalk.
Best farming practices for soil health vary by region
Long-term, regional data is crucial to determine the best farming practices for soil health, crop production and nutritional quality
Deal to curb shipping emissions may boost regional manufacturing
In a series of virtual meetings hosted by the United Nations this week, nearly 200 countries are coming together in an effort to reach a legally binding agreement to cut emissions from the shipping industry. Lara Skinner is the executive…
Rutgers Bat Researcher Can Discuss Iconic Halloween Animals
New Brunswick, N.J. (Oct. 20, 2020) – Evan Drake, a bat researcher and doctoral student at Rutgers University–New Brunswick, is available for interviews on iconic Halloween animals and misunderstood wildlife, as well as bats and COVID-19. Halloween is known for…
Perennial grain symposium to be held: advances and challenges
While development of perennial Kernza wheat is successful, other crops may not be adaptable
Pandemic lockdowns caused steep and lasting carbon dioxide decline
An international team of climate experts, including Earth system scientists at the University of California, Irvine, today released an assessment of carbon dioxide emissions by industry, transportation and other sectors from January through June, showing that this year’s pandemic lockdowns resulted in a 9 percent decline from 2019 levels.
Rutgers Expert Can Discuss 10 Ways to Adapt to Coastal Flooding
New Brunswick, N.J. (Oct. 14, 2020) – Rutgers coastal expert Vanessa Dornisch is available for interviews on 10 steps residents can take to prepare for sea-level rise and adapt to increased coastal flooding. Dornisch, coastal training program coordinator at the…